USA > New York > Saratoga County > History of Saratoga County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers. > Part 25
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S. The Northern Mirror, which he established in 1850, -and first named it the Gem of the North. After the union the title was The Ballston Democrat and Mirror.
9. In November, 1856, Mr. Chase purchased The Ballston Spa American, an organ of the " Know Noth- ings," which was first issued in the early part of the year 1855, by Joseph S. Brown.
Upon this consolidation the name chosen was The Ballston Atlas, in politics following the Albany Atlas, which supported the Free-Soil wing of the Democratic party under the lead of Martin Van Buren. In 1860 it supported the nomination of Stephen A. Douglas for the presidency, and subsequently ranked itself among the organs of the Democratie party.
Abraham A. Keyser became proprietor January 1, 1861, and in April following sold to Ephraim W. Reynolds, now one of the publishers of the Auburn Daily News. In 1864, Mr. Reynolds sold to Daniel Shepherd, who moved the office to Saratoga Springs, and continued the weekly issues under the name of the Saratoga County Democrat for a few months, when he suspended the publication.
In December, 1865, it was revived by Sanford H. Curtis and Enos R. Mann, of Ballston Spa, at which place it was issued under the original name, The Ballston Democrat. Mr. Curtis was a good practical printer ; Mr. Mann an easy, clever writer, now connected with the Albany Argus as reporter and correspondent. John M. Waterbury became proprietor in 1866, and changed the name to The Ballston Register. He sold in 1868 to his brother, William S. Waterbury, who restored the original name under which he still continues its publication, The Ballston Democrat, which was enlarged in 1877 to an eight-column page. It has supported the administrations of Polk, Pierce, and Buchanan, and opposed those of Taylor, Lincoln, Grant, and Hayes. For this historical chain, I am mainly indebted to E. R. Mann, Esq.
10. In January, 1853, The Temperance Helper was
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HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
established by the Carson League, a county temperance or- ganization, and issued by a committee of publication, with Prof. J. McCoy, of the Ballston Law School, as editor. It was printed at the Journal office about one year, after which time the publishing committee opened a new print- ing-office, in which was set up the first cylinder press over used in the county. In 1855 the establishment was sold to Potter & Judson, and removed to Saratoga Springs. In 1856 they made it a political paper, and gave it the name of The Saratogian, which it still bears.
REV. tt. L. GROSE.
The publishers of this work are under obligation to Rev. Il. L. Grose for the above full and accurate history of the press of Ballston. His own active career as a journalist and pastor may properly be added to this sketch.
Mr. Grose's connection with journalism began in his native town in Montgomery county in 1832. His first paper was The Fort Plain Gazette, neutral in politics. In 1834 the name was changed to Fort Plain Republican. Politically, it favored the nomination of Martin Van Buren for the presidency. In 1835 the paper was sold to C. W. Gill, the politics remaining the same. In 1836, Mr. Grose was connected with the Owego Adrertiser, of which the present Owego Times is the regular successor. Some years before this Mr. Grose had completed a course of study in medicine, but never gave himself wholly to that profession. From 1837 to 1840 he studied for the ministry, and in December, 1840, was ordained to that work in the Baptist denomination. He then served as a pastor for twenty years, during a portion of which time he also practiced medicine.
In 1860 he bought the Ballston Journal. In 1863, though still retaining the Journal, he bought a half-interest in the Schenectady Daily Star. This he sold to W. D. Davis in 1864. From 1868 to 1874 he served again as a pastor in Vermont ; keeping, however, his interest in the Journal. In 1874 he was appointed school commissioner in place of Hon. Neil Gilmour, resigned. In November following he was elected to the same office. This long and varied service has left him still a vigorous and successful worker in whatever field of labor he may engage.
II .- THE PRESS OF SARATOGA SPRINGS.
The establishing of newspapers was not so early by sev- eral years at Saratoga Springs as at Ballston. It is stated that an effort was made in 1802, and a weekly paper pub- lished for a short time by Mathew Lyon. Inquiries among old residents, however, develop nothing but the tradition, as there seems to be no record of the enterprise, nor any copies of the paper preserved.
It is stated in the " New York Gazetteer" that the Sars- toga Gazette was published here in 1810; but no account seems to be obtainable of either the paper or the pub- lisher.
In 1809, as shown in the account of the Ballston Press, Samuel R. Brown came from Ballston to Saratoga Springs and established the Saratoga Patriot. Two years later he removed the paper to Albany. There was then an in- terval of seven years, during which there seems to have been no paper published here.
The Saratoga Whig, alluded to in the account of the Sentinel, was started in 1839 by Iluling & Watts. In 1840 it passed into the hands of G. W. Spooner, and after- wards to E. G. Huling. In 1851 it was changed to the Saratoga County Press. A daily edition, started in 1844, was published in 1855 as the Saratoga Daily News. Huling & Morehouse were the publishers.
A few other publishing enterprises of brief duration may be noticed.
The Old Letter was issued at Saratoga Springs in 18-19, by A. H. Allen.
The Advent Review and Sabbath Helper was published semi-monthly in 1850, by James White.
The Temperance Helper, started at Ballston Spa in Jan- uary, 1850, was soon after removed to Saratoga Springs.
THE SARATOGA SENTINEL.
The Saratoga Sentinel, the only pioneer paper that has survived the changes in this now world-renowned watering- place of Saratoga Springs, was first issned in 1819, by Gid- eon Mason Davison, a practical printer, a native of Ver- mont. Ile continued the publication, assisted in later years by his sons, until 1842, when he transferred the subscription-list and good-will to Wilbur & Palmer, contin- uing his book-printing office himself. Wilbur & Palmer, after a few years, sold the paper to Castle & Paul, and they sold the same to Cowen & Butler. It was finally merged in the Saratoga Republican (established in 1844 by John A. Corey). In 1853 Thomas G. Young purchased the Saratoga Republican, and Allen Corey continued the pub- lication of the Sentinel. In 1859 the Republican and Sentinel were again united, the paper taking the joint title of Republican and Sentinel for a time, but the old title of The Saratoga Sentinel was soon adopted again as the sole name, and so continued by Mr. Young. In February. 1872, the firm of Huling & Co. became the proprietors; Ed- mund J. Huling, who commenced his newspaper career in the office of the newly-established Saratoga. Whig in March, 1839, becoming the editor and business manager, bringing his experience of over thirty-two years in connection with the press of Saratoga Springs to the conduct of the paper. The Sentinel was Bucktail and Democratic in politics when under the control of Mr. Davison, supporting Andrew Jack- son and Martin Van Buren as candidates for President in 1824, 1828, 1832, 1836, and 1840. It was continued as a straight Democratie paper until 1848, when it supported Mr. Van Buren as the Free-Soil candidate for President. In after-years it became again Democratic, supporting Franklin Pierce in 1852, Mr. Buchanan in 1856, John C. Breckinridge in 1860. and the regular Democratic candi- dates following up to 1872. It took liberal ground in 1872, supporting Mr. Greeley for President before and after his adoption by the Democratic national convention. Its dis- tinctive features since 1872 have been great care in the collection of local news relating to the county and vicinity, and independent criticisms of passing events.
EDMUND J. HULING.
Edmund James Huling, one of the proprietors and the manager of The Saratoga Sentinel, was born in the town
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HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
of Milton, Saratoga Co., Dec. 18, 1820. He was the only son of Beekman Hnling and his wife, Maria Smith. He is a direct descendant from Captain Alexander Huling, who was a prominent citizen of North Kingstown, R. I., who died there in 1725, after having filled various prominent positions in his town. Ilis grandson (John), a son of his younger son, born in 1731, emigrated to Dutchess Co., N. Y., with a younger brother, Walton, and there a son, John, was born in 1762, who married Charity Eighmy for a second wife. Beekman Iluling, father of E. J. Huling, was the fifth child and seeond son of the aforesaid John Iluling and Charity Eighmy, and was born in the town of Beckman, Dutchess Co., Nov. 20, 1794. John Huling moved to Saratoga County with his family about the year 1800, settling first in the town of Malta, and a few years afterwards he removed to the north part of the town of Milton, about half a mile north of where the present stone church stands, on the farm on which E. J. Huling was born and resided until March 29, 1831. On that day Beekman Huling and family removed to Saratoga Springs, and there E. J. Huling has resided ever since. He attended the common schools there, also select schools taught by E. H. ,Jenny ( afterwards an editorial writer on the New York Tribune) until Feb. 1, 1835, when he became a clerk in the store of Rockwell Putnam, remaining in that place for three years. In February and March, 1838, after leaving the store of Mr. Putnam, he attended a select school kept by Alanson Smith. In the season following he was a elerk in the Union Hall, then kept by Washington Putnam and Asher S. Taylor. In the winter following he taught a dis- triet school for two months in the town of Milton. In February, 1839, James C. Watts, assisted by Rockwell Putnam, Beekman Huling, Peter V. Wiggins, James R. Wescott, and other prominent citizens, established The Saratoga Whig newspaper, the second paper established in Saratoga Springs.
In the following month, March, on the closing of his school, E. J. Huling entered the office of The Whig, his father having become a partner with Mr. Watts therein. Ile learned the business as a practical printer, and began writing for the paper, so that he took the charge of its columns the following winter, which Mr. Watts spent in New York in the editorial charge of Horace Greeley's New Yorker, while Mr. Greeley acted as legislative reporter of The Albany Evening Journal, and correspondent of the Saratoga. Whig. In the spring following the Whig was sold to George W. Spooner, of Brooklyn, E. J. Huling occa- sionally acting as assistaut thereafter, and also Saratoga cor- respondent of the New York Tribune and New York E.c- press, while assisting his father in his book-store. In Feb- rnary, 1842, E. J. Huling purchased the drug-store of Henry Y. Allen. and in the following month of March he married Anna R. Spooner, sister of George W. Spooner, of The Whig, and third daughter of Alden Spooner, of Brook- lyn, who established The Long Island Star, and was a prominent editor for many years. Mr. Huling's inclinations for the newspaper business, which led him to keep up his connections with The Whig and other papers, finally led to his selling out his drug-store in February, 1851, and he at once started a job-printing office. In September he started
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a weekly paper, which, in the November following, was merged in The Saratoga Whig, of which he became sole proprietor. He continued The Whig (changing the name, in 1855, to The Saratoga County Press) until January, 1863, when he sold it to Potter & Judson, and it was merged in The Saratogian, upon which paper he took a position during the summer following. In September, 1863, he edited the Newark, New Jersey, Daily Mercury for a few weeks, spending the winter following, however, in Saratoga Springs. In June, 1864, he was appointed acting assistant paymaster in the United States Navy, and ordered to service in the Mississippi squadron, under Ad- miral Porter. He served until the close of the war on the steamer " Huntress," cruising from the mouth of the Ohio river to Memphis. Returning home in August, 1865, he made up his accounts, and was honorably discharged in November following. In June, 1866, he took the local editorship of The Saratogian, which he held until Oct. 1, 1870. In 1871 he was elected a coroner of the county, and the following February, 1872, became one of the proprietors and manager of The Saratoga Sentinel, a position which he has held ever sinee.
THE DAILY AND WEEKLY SARATOGIAN.
The Weekly Saratogian is the parent of the Daily Sura- togion, the former having attained the respectable age of twenty-seven years in January, 1878, the Daily Stratogian completing its ninth year in June, 1878. The Weekly Saratogian was the product of The Temperance Helper, a weekly paper about the size of the present Daily Sarato- gian, advocating as a specialty the temperance cause, and published for one dollar per year by B. F. Judson & Co. The llelper was started in February, 1855, with B. F. Judson & Co. as proprietors. On the 3d of January, 1858, the change of name was announced, and the name of M. E. Willing appears as the editor. At that time the prohibitory law was the uppermost theme in State politics, both The Helper and The Saratogian sustaining it, and energetically opposing its repeal. The leading article in the first number of The Saratogian concludes with these words, referring to the possible repeal of this law : " Let no rude hand tear from the statute-book this great charter of pro- tection to a bruised and bleeding community." The same number contains a report of a debate before the Young Men's Association on the all-engrossing topic, Shall the pro- hibitory law be repeated ? Hon. James B. Mckean, then county judge, since chief justice of the Supreme Court of Utah, opposed the repeal, Mr. C. S. Lester, since county judge, taking the affirmative. The Surutogian records the triumph of the temperance people by stating that only five votes were cast in favor of the affirmative. The name of Mr. Willing appears connected with the paper but a few months, Waldo M. Potter, who had been interested in the paper, contributing most of the editorials, and doing most of the editorial work. Mr. Potter was at this time study- ing law, which pursuit he subsequently relinquished to be- come a business partner with Mr. Judson, and the editor of the paper for a long term of years.
On the 24th of April, 1856, the name of George W. Demers, then about eighteen years of age, appears as the
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IIISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
editor of the paper, although the forcible pen of Waldo MI. Potter contributed many of the political articles during the eventful political campaign of that year, the Stratogian ardently and ably sustaining the Republican ticket, with John C. Fremont at its head as candidate for President. During the fall of 1856 its columns were filled with power- ful arguments in defense of the then infant party, the words of Fremont, declaring his equal opposition to either the extension of or the interference with slavery, standing at the head of its editorial columns through the period of the campaign. It was also an industrious and zealous exponent of prohibition principles. Mr. Potter's name first appears as the responsible editor in the issue of May 14, 1857, in which number is a vigorous reply, two columns in length, to the assaults of Mr. Bennett, of the New York Herald, on the hotels of Saratoga Springs, and on the village generally.
The first number of the Summer Daily, with the title of the Daily Saratogian, was issued on the 23d of June, 1855, George W. Demers editor. The paper was twenty by twenty-eight inches square, and contained a full list of the arrivals till the close of the season, together with brief abstracts of general news, local items, personal gossip, etc. The Daily was discontinued on the 23d of August, and in the following year it was again published during July and August. Waldo M. Potter being its editor, and B. Frank Jud- son publisher. From that time to the present a daily paper was issued every summer only, till June, 1869, when the publication of a permanent daily was begun, and has con- tinued uninterruptedly to the present date.
On the 11th of February, 1858, Mr. Potter having then fairly entered upon the practice of the law, formed a co- partnership with B. F. Judson, under the firm-name of Potter & Judson. This continued till Sept. 22, 1870, when Mr. Potter disposed of his interest to B. F. Judson, Mr. Potter being succeeded as editor by David F. Ritchie, who had, since June, 1869, been the assistant editor of the paper. Mr. Judson remained the sole proprietor of the paper till July 1, 1873, when Mr. Ritchie purchased a half- interest in the office, retaining the position of editor of the daily and weekly editions.
From 1868 to June, 1869, the date of the first issue of the daily, a semi-weekly was published. This ceased with the publication of the daily.
On the 23d of December, 1876, Charles F. Paul pur- chased Mr. Judson's interest in the establishment, the style of the new firm being Paul & Ritchie, Mr. Ritchie remain- ing still the editor.
This sketches the proprietary and editorial conduct of the paper during the period of its existence up to the present time. To narrate the history of its life, embodying its treatment of political and social topics, would require space far exceeding that allowed in these pages. Coming into existence as a special champion of temperance princi- ples, as indicated by its original name, the Temperance Helper, it was for about three years a sturdy and formid- able advocate of the theory of prohibition, when it es- poused with vigor and power the rising fortunes of the Republican party. Mr. Potter, its editor, was a born con- troversialist, and both with voice and pen did much to build
up the political party the principles of which he ardently espoused.
The Saratogian has from the beginning been a Repub- lican journal, and is regarded as the leading exponent of its party in the political distriet in which it is published. It has always had a wide circulation, especially in the summer season, when it reflects, day after day, the mar- velous picture of life in America's great watering-place. Both politically and socially, The Saratogian wields an extended and potent influence, its peculiar location render- ing it more cosmopolitan in character than most newspapers of the interior.
DAVID FRANCIS RITCHIE,
editor of the Daily and Weekly Suratogiun, was born in Rochester, N. Y., in 1840. Ile was the son of George Gavin Ritchie, a Baptist preacher. Mr. Ritchie was edu- eated by his father, in various select and public schools, and at the Utica Academy. In 1860 he became the city editor of the Utica Herald, having previously done some writing for various journals. Immediately after the assault on Fort Sumter, April 13, he enlisted as a private iu the Utica Citizens' Corps, which, as " A" Company of the Fourteenth New York Volunteers, was sent to Washington in June. In the fall of 1861 he was promoted to be second lieutenant of " A" Company, First New York Light Artillery, rising to the grade of captain, and serving through the entire war. He was brevetted major, lieutenant-colonel, and colonel for faithful services in the field. In July, 1865, he became one of the assistant editors of the Utica Herald ; in January, 1866, assumed the management of the Utica Evening Telegraph ; and in 1869 came to Sara- toga as assistant editor of the Daily Saratogian. In 1870 he became the editor of The Suratogian, Waldo M. Potter having retired, which position he still holds.
The Saratoga Sun was started in September, 1870, by A. S. Pease. It is the leading Democratie journal of the county.
ALBERT S. PEASE.
Mr. Pease was born at Poughkeepsie, Dutchess Co., N. Y., and in his youth served a full apprenticeship at the printing business in the office of the Poughkeepsie Tele- graph. On becoming of age he became partner with E. B. Rilley in the publication of that paper, and upon Mr. Rilley's death, sole editor and manager for five years.
He was postmaster of the city of Poughkeepsie during the whole term of President Pierce.
He afterwards sold the Telegraph and entered the State and National Law School of John W. Fowler. Ile first graduated an attorney, and was also admitted to practice as attorney and counselor-at-law, after examination, by the general term of Supreme Court in Brooklyn.
Ile bought the Poughkeepsie Daily Press in 1858, and published it until 1863, when he moved the material to Troy, and in July of 1863 issued the first number of the Troy Daily Press. In 1861 he entered the Union army as first lieutenant of Twentieth Regiment N. Y. S. M. (subsequently Eightieth Volunteers), Col. George W. Pratt, commanding. He sold the Troy Daily Press in 1867, and the Troy Weekly Press in 1868.
14
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HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
The material of the Troy Weekly Press came back into his hands, and he moved it to Saratoga Springs, and in Angust of 1870 issued the first number of The Saratoga Sun, which is still published,-weekly throughout the year, a daily edition being added during the summer season.
III .- THE PRESS OF WATERFORD.
The Waterford Gazette was established about 1801, by Horace L. Wadsworth, and was continued until after the close of the War of 1812.
The Waterford Reporter was published in 1822, by Wm. L. Fish.
The Anti- Masonic Recorder was issued at Waterford in 1830, by J. C. Johnson.
The Waterford Atlas was started December 1, 1832, by Win. Ilolland & Co. In 1834 it became the Waterford Atlas, Mechanics' and Manufacturers' Journal. It was soon after discontinued, perhaps unable to bear so long a name.
The Democratic Champion was published in 1840, by HI. Wilbur.
The Waterford Sentinel was started May 18, 1850, by Dr. Andrew Hoffman, now of Albany. In 1858 it was sold to J. H. Masten. He sold it to Wm. T. Baker. Baker continued it two or three years until 1870, when it was sold to Haywood & Paluateer. This partnership ended in 1871 by the death of Mr. Haywood. The office was then purchased by S. A. Ilathaway. In April, 1872, the Waterford Advertiser was started by R. D. Palmateer, who purchased the interest of the Sentinel in July, 1873, since which time there has been but one paper, the Adver- tiser, published by R. D. Palmateer.
Dr. Hoffman enlarged the Sentinel twice, and continued it eight years. J. HI. Masten, who bought of him, was the publisher of the Cohoes Cataract, and he issued the Sentinel from the same office. Mr. Haywood, spoken of above, had been an early publisher of one of the Waterford papers. Dr. Hoffman went from Waterford to Vermont, and pub- lished for a time the Northfield Herald, a Democratie paper, also the Vermont Christian Messenger, a Methodist journal. Then he published the Coxsackie Union for three years, and finally settled in Albany, in the practice of his profes- sion of dentistry.
IV .- THE PRESS OF SCHUYLERVILLE.
The Schuylerville Herald was published at Sehuyler- ville, in 1844, by J. L. Cramer. This was the first attempt to establish a newspaper in the town. It was finally dis- continued. In 1848 the Old Saratoga was established by Allen Corey. This was discontinued in 1852. The Battle Ground Herald was published by R. N. Atwell & Co. from Aug. 1, 1853, to July 31, 1857, and discontinued. In December of the same year The Saratoga American was started by J. R. Rockwell. He published this to the fall of 1861, when he enlisted, and became captain of Com- pany K, Seventy-seventh Regiment, and the paper was dis- continued. R. N. Atwell continued a job-printing office for several years. Finally other parties established the Sehuylerville News, about the year 1867.
In the spring of 1870 this was succeeded by the present
Saratoga County Standard, a large and handsome sheet, issued weekly by the Standard Publishing Co.
V .- THE PRESS OF STILLWATER.
The Stillwater Gazette was started at Stillwater village, in 1845, by Isaac A. Pitman, and was published three years.
The Coldwater Battery was also published in 1845, by Isaac A. Pitman. It had only a brief existence.
VI .- TIIE PRESS OF MECHANICVILLE.
The Hudson River Chronicle was published at Mechan- ieville from October, 1856, to March, 1868, by Samuel Heron.
The Morning Star was published at Mechanicville, in 1854-55, by C. Smith & Co. It was an experiment con- tinued for only a short time.
VH .- THE PRESS OF CRESCENT.
The Creseent Eagle was published in 1852, by C. Acker- man.
CHAPTER XXIII.
SARATOGA COUNTY IN THE GREAT REBELLION OF 1861.
TIIE citizens of the county of Saratoga are justly proud of her brilliant record in the great southern Rebellion. In the following pages we give two separate accounts of the doings of the 77th Regiment of New York Volunteers, and one account of the 30th Regiment of New York Volunteers. The first account of the 77th has been kindly written for this work by General French, and the reader will find it a highly interesting and exhaustive article. The second account of the 77th Regiment has been kindly fur- nished by a prominent officer connected with the regiment, and although it duplicates some matters touched in the first account, it is so interesting that it is given entire. The account of the 30th has been written by Col. Searing, and will be perused with equal interest.
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